Iago. But for a satisfaction of my thought;

No further harm.

Oth.

Why of thy thought, Iago?

lago. I did not think, he had been acquainted

with her.

Oth. O, yes; and went between us very oft.
Iago. Indeed?

Oth. Indeed! ay, indeed :-Discern'st thou aught in that?

Is he not honest?

Iago.
Oth.

Honest, my lord?

Iago. My lord, for aught I know.
Oth. What dost thou think?

Iago.
Oth.

Ay, honest.

By heaven, he echoes me,

As if there were some monster in his thought
Too hideous to be shown.-Thou dost mean some-

thing:

I heard thee say but now,-Thou lik'dst not that,
When Cassio left my wife; What did'st not like?
And, when I told thee-he was of my counsel
In my whole course of wooing, thou cry'dst, Indeed?
And did'st contract and purse thy brow together,
As if thou then had'st shut up in thy brain
Some horrible conceit: If thou dost love me,
Show me thy thought.

Tago. My lord, you know I love you.
Oth.
I think, thou dost;
And, for I know thou art full of love and honesty,
And weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st them
breath,-

Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more: For such things, in a false disloyal knave,

Are tricks of custom; but, in a man that's just,

They are close denotements, working from the heart, That passion cannot rule.*

lago.

I dare be sworn, I think that he is honest.

For Michael Cassio,

Men should be what they seem;

Oth. I think so too.

lago.

Or, those that be not, 'would they might seem none! Oth. Certain, men should be what they seem. Iago.

I think that Cassio is an honest man.

I

Oth. Nay, yet there's more in this:

Why then,

pray thee, speak to me as to thy thinkings,

As thou dost ruminate; and give thy worst of thoughts The worst of words.

Good my lord, pardon me;

lago. Though I am bound to every act of duty,

I am not bound to that all slaves are free to."

Utter my thoughts? Why, say, they are vile and false,

As where's that palace, whereinto foul things
Sometimes intrude not? who has a breast so pure,
But some uncleanly apprehensions

Keep leets, and law-days, and in session sit
With meditations lawful?

Oth. Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago, If thou but think'st him wrong'd, and mak'st his ear A stranger to thy thoughts.

Iago. I do beseech you,— Though I, perchance, am vicious in my guess, As, I confess, it is my nature's plague

To

spy

into abuses; and, oft, my jealousy

They are close denotements, working from the heart,

That passion cannot rule.] i. e. indications, or recoveries, not openly revealed, but involuntarily working from the heart, which cannot rule and suppress its feelings.

5

to that all slaves are free to.] I am not bound to do that, which even slaves are not bound to do.

Shapes faults that are not,-I entreat you then,
From one that so imperfectly conjects,"

You'd take no notice; nor build yourself a trouble
Out of his scattering and unsure observance:-
It were not for your quiet, nor your good,
Nor for my manhood, honesty, or wisdom,
To let you know my thoughts.

Oth.

What dost thou mean?

lago. Good name, in man, man, and woman, dear my

lord,

Is the immediate jewel of their souls:

Who steals my purse, steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;

'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he, that filches from me my good name,
Robs me of that, which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.

Oth. By heaven, I'll know thy thought.

Iago. You cannot, if my heart were in your hand; Nor shall not, whilst 'tis in my custody.

Oth. Ha!

Iago. O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock The meat it feeds on:7 That cuckold lives in bliss, Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger; But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er,

Who dotes, yet doubts; suspects, yet strongly loves! Oth. O misery!

6

Iago. Poor, and content, is rich, and rich enough;

conjects,] To conject, i. e. to conjecture, is a word used by other writers.

The meat it feeds on:] i. e loaths that which nourishes and sustains it. But others read,

which doth make

The meat it feeds on.

Implying that its suspicions are unreal and groundless, which is the very contrary to what he would here make his general think.

But riches, fineless, is as poor as winter,
To him that ever fears he shall be poor:-
Good heaven, the souls of all my tribe defend
From jealousy!

Oth.

Why? why is this?
Think'st thou, I'd make a life of jealousy,
To follow still the changes of the moon

With fresh suspicions? No: to be once in doubt,
Is-once to be resolv'd: Exchange me for a goat,
When I shall turn the business of my soul
To such exsufflicate and blown surmises,

Matching thy inference.' 'Tis not to make me jealous,

To say-my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances well;
Where virtue is, these are more virtuous:2
Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw
The smallest fear, or doubt of her revolt;
For she had eyes, and chose me: No, Iago;
I'll see, before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;
And, on the proof, there is no more but this,-
Away at once with love, or jealousy.

Iago. I am glad of this; for now I shall have rea

son

To show the love and duty that I bear you
With franker spirit: therefore, as I am bound,
Receive it from me:-I speak not yet of proof.

8 But riches, fineless,] Unbounded, endless, unnumbered. To such exsufflicate-] Whether our poet had any authority for the word exsufflicate, which I think is used in the sense of swollen, and appears to have been formed from sufflatus, I am unable to ascertain: but I have not thought it safe to substitute for it another word equally unauthorised. MALONE.

blown surmises,

Matching thy inference.] That is, such as you have mentioned in describing the torments of jealousy.

2 Where virtue is, these are more virtuous:] An action in itself indifferent, grows virtuous by its end and application.

Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio;
Wear your eye-thus, not jealous, nor secure:
I would not have your free and noble nature,
Out of self-bounty, be abus'd; look to't:

3

I know our country disposition well;

In Venice they do let heaven see the pranks
They dare not show their husbands; their best con-
science

Is not to leave undone, but keep unknown.
Oth. Dost thou say so?

Iago. She did deceive her father, marrying you; And, when she seem'd to shake, and fear your

looks,

She lov'd them most.

Oth.
Iago.

And so she did.

Why, go to, then; She that, so young, could give out such a seeming, To seel her father's eyes up, close as oak,"

He thought, 'twas witchcraft:-But I am much to blame;

3 Out of self-bounty,] Self-bounty for inherent generosity. ↑ And, when she seem'd-] This and the following argument of Iago ought to be deeply impressed on every reader. Deceit and falsehood, whatever conveniences they may for a time promise or produce, are in the sum of life, obstacles to happiness. Those, who profit by the cheat, distrust the deceiver, and the act by which kindness is sought, puts an end to confidence.

The same objection may be made with a lower degree of strength against the imprudent generosity of disproportionate marriages. When the first heat of passion is over, it is easily succeeded by suspicion, that the same violence of inclination, which caused one irregularity, may stimulate to another; and those who have shewn, that their passions are too powerful for their prudence, will, with very slight appearances against them, be censured, as not very likely to restrain them by their virtue. JOHNSON.

To seel her father's eyes up, close as oak,] The oak is the most close-grained 'wood of general use in England. Close as oak, means, close as the grain of oak. To seel is an expression from falconry.